The 2018 season was an interesting one for the Pirates. After many fans predicted the team would be middling, the Bucs were 39-43 — as expected — going into July. During July, however, the team went on a ridiculous 11-game tear, scoring 73 runs and allowing just 24. This was part of a larger 17-9 July record that led GM Neal Huntington to make two major deals at the deadline, sending top prospects Austin Meadows, Tyler Glasnow, and Shane Baz to the Tampa Bay Rays for SP Chris Archer, who shows signs of dominance before regressing to mediocrity, and trading prospects Taylor Hearn and Sherton Apostel to the Rangers for reliever Keone Kela, who became a promising set-up man for the Bucs. Both Archer and Kela are under team control until at least 2020, with Archer having an $11 million team option year in 2021.

After the deadline, the team flopped, as it is wont to do, finishing with an 82-79 record. Yet the Bucs are hopeful for the future, and, with the appointment of Neal Huntington to the director of baseball operations in San Francisco, went out and hired Tarry Hilis to be its new general manager.

Looking forward, Hilis seems to be hopeful, but cautious. The biggest surprise of the year was Corey Dickerson, who hit well for the Pirates and is due for arbitration after earning $5.95 million in 2018. But Hilis also recognizes that the team's core may be weak, especially with RF Gregory Polanco on the disabled list until May after shoulder injury, and the club's farm is not as strong as it used to be, after a series of playoff appearances and trades of the team's top prospects.

It appears the Pirates have a number of 2019 goals:

-Re-sign Dickerson to an approx. 3-year extension
-Work with Archer and Kela to ensure their trades were worth it
-Trade Ivan Nova and Francisco Cervelli
-Strengthen the middle infield

Tilis has three weeks until arbitration hearings. Let's see what moves he'll make then.

In line with his goals, Pirates GM Tarry Hilis today announced three trades the Pirates had made with the New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Ivan Nova, who was disappointing in his time in Pittsburgh, will be returning to the Yankees, along with 1B/OF Jose Osuna. In return, New York will send the Pirates SP Sonny Gray, whom the Yankees openly admitted they had given up on. He is arbitration-eligible.

The Bucs then turned around and traded for reliever Liam Hendriks from the Oakland A's. Hendriks is a pitcher who has shown flashes of brilliance before periods of struggling, but the Bucs hope he'll return to a high-strikeout, low-home run pitcher in the confines of pitcher-friendly PNC Park. In return, the Pirates sent AAA catcher John Bormann.

Finally, the Pirates swapped their former starting catcher, Francisco Cervelli, to the Arizona Diamondbacks for pitching prospect Taylor Clarke. Cervelli improved his trade stock last season with an impressive offensive resume, but the Pirates were too concerned about his history of concussions to keep him on the team. Clarke had a high-ERA season in AAA Reno, but the Bucs hope to see him develop into at least a solid reliever.

The all-time career saves leader, Mariano Rivera, was officially voted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, the BBWAA announced today.

Rivera, who played 19 seasons with the New York Yankees after signing as an international free agent in 1990, was one of the most well-liked players throughout the league.

The closer relied on his cut fastball throughout his career, and to great success. Of 19 seasons, Rivera had 11 where his ERA was under 2, and 17 where it was under 3.00. The addition of a sinker in 2001 added to his success, bringing his K/9 rate from around 6.5 to nearly 9.

His career ERA was 2.21, and he struck out 1,173 batters in 1283.2 innings pitched.

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Pirates news:

19 December: Lost SS Cole Tucker to the Boston Red Sox in the Rule 5 Draft.

The Pirates today signed 2B Logan Forsythe to a 2-year deal worth $11 million, with team options for two more years at $5.5 million each.

Forsythe, 32, spent last year in Los Angeles and Minnesota, and he hit .232/.313/.291 total. Given his stats last year, this may be an overpay on the part of the Bucs, but the Pirates expect him to be worth the money, returning at least to his 2017 form.

The Pirates have not had a second starting baseman since voiding the last year of Josh Harrison's contract.

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Around the league:

-The Houston Astros signed 1B Marwin Gonzalez to a 3-year, $21.9 million contract extension.
-The Los Angeles Dodgers signed 2B Neil Walker to a 5-year, $44.5 million contract.
-The New York Yankees signed SP Dallas Keuchel to a 5-year, $101 million contract.
-SS Freddy Galvis signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The deal is for 3 years and will earn Galvis $19.6 million.

While he asked for a 10-year, $400 million deal, star outfielder Bryce Harper seems to be okay with a salary befitting a player below his calibre, signing an 8-year, $118.5 million contract Tuesday with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Pittsburgh GM Tarry Hilis seemed surprised himself by the signing, saying he approached Harper only because he knew he would regret not doing so.

"I'm glad he signed with the Pirates," Hilis said. "While this is the largest contract the team has ever given out, it is befitting a player his skill level."

Harper is expected to play in right for the Bucs, leaving the question of what will happen with Gregory Polanco once he returns from the disabled list.

In the meantime, however, Harper will fill out a power weakness in the Pittsburgh lineup.

The Pirates made a couple of other minor moves, signing C Martin Maldonado and RPs David Burkhalter, Lucas Benenati, Ian Kahaloa, Jorge Rodriguez, Joon-young Ha, and Christian Reyes to minor league contracts.

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Around the league:

-Cincinnati trades 22-year-old 3B Romy Gonzalez to the Houston Astros for 25-year-old 3B J.D. Davis.
-The White Sox sent LHP Jace Fry and minor-league RF JJ Goss to the New York Mets for pitching prospect Franklyn Kilome
-2B Brian Dozier signed a 4-year, $52.4 million contract with the Tampa Rays.
-The Los Angeles Angels signed 2B DJ LeMahieu to a 5-year, $61.5 million contract.
-The Red Sox acquired Jonathan Lucroy in free agency, signing him to a 4-year, $73.2 million deal.
-1B Lucas Duda also joined the Angels, signing a 4-year, $19 million contract.
-In yet another shock, the Orioles signed SS Manny Machado. Machado will make $158 million over the next 7 years.
-The Chicago White Sox traded 1B Jose Abreu to the Minnesota Twins. Minnesota sent prospects Trevor Larnach, Wander Javier, Cameron Sanders, and Andy Cosgrove back in return.
-C Wilson Ramos is heading to Milwaukee. He signed a 5-year, $61.8 million contract with the Brewers.
-After having essentially two good years, SP Charlie Morton was going to cash in. He signed a 4-year, $67.2 million pact with the Texas Rangers.

BRADENTON -- The Pirates seek to clarify their lineups, shake off rust, and get a sneak peek of their prospects as pitchers and catchers report.

Closer Felipe Vazquez, might have some competition this season, as Michael Feliz seeks to improve on his dismal 5.66 2018 ERA with his workouts during the offseason and unseat the Nightmare on Federal Street as the team's ninth inning man.

The Bucs will also get their first look at RHP Sonny Gray, whom they acquired during the offseason for Ivan Nova and Jose Osuna. Gray's been disappointing with the Yankees, but the Pirates hope he'll find his rhythm in PNC Park.

Jung Ho Kang will see his first Pirates uniform since 2016. In the meantime, he's been unable to acquire a visa due to his multiple DUI arrests. He'll be battling with Adam Frazier to be the Bucs' top shortstop.

After signing him to a $5.5 million per annum contract, the Pirates expected Logan Forsythe to be their starting second baseman. But it looks like that will have to wait at least nine months, after Forsythe ruptured his Achilles tendon during a fairly routine play.

"I just felt something burning in my leg, and I knew my season was over," Forsythe told reporters after hobbling out of the hospital on crutches.

In his stead, the Pirates hope Adam Frazier will step in as a viable second base option.

After a month of Spring Training, one thing is on the Pirates' mind: Chris Archer.

Archer had a dismal second half with the Pirates last season after being acquired from the Tampa Rays for several of Pittsburgh's top prospects, but his 2.18 Spring Training ERA has emboldened the Bucs' view of him.

He, rather than Jameson Taillon, will likely be Pittsburgh's Opening Day starter, but Taillon may still be the Bucs' ace.

In surprising news, the Nightmare on Federal Street, Felipe Vazquez, will likely split his closing job with Michael Feliz. Both pitchers had a sub-1.00 ERA in Spring, and are differently handed, so the Bucs hope to use both pitchers in game situations.

Jung Ho Kang will hold onto his starting shortstop role, though he and Frazier will battle for that next season.

Bryce Harper made a showing for himself in Spring, batting .308/.455/.538 with 3 HR in 52 AB.

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